After another loss on Friday, Oakland's lead in the wild-card race is down to two games over Seattle and 2.5 over Detroit entering Saturday's action. In other words, the A's biggest worry now isn't so much the AL West title as simply holding on for a playoff spot.
If the A's do fail to make the playoffs, they would be the first team in the wild-card era to have the best record at the All-Star break and not make the postseason. The tally:
2014 -- Athletics, 59-36 (.621)
2013 -- Cardinals, 57-36 (.613); final: 97-65, lost World Series
2012 -- Yankees, 52-33 (.612); final: 95-67, lost ALCS
2011 -- Phillies, 57-34 (.626); final: 102-60, lost NLDS
2010 -- Yankees, 56-32 (.636); final: 95-67, lost ALCS
2009 -- Dodgers, 56-32 (.636); final: 95-67, lost NLCS
2008 -- Angels, 57-38 (.600); final: 100-62, lost ALDS
Cubs, 57-38 (.600); final: 97-64, lost NLDS
2007 -- Red Sox, 53-34 (.609); final: 96-66, won World Series
2006 -- Tigers, 59-29 (.670); final: 95-67, lost World Series
2005 -- White Sox, 57-29 (.663); final: 99-63, won World Series
2004 -- Yankees, 55-31 (.640); final: 101-61, lost ALCS
2003 -- Braves, 61-32 (.656); final: 101-61, lost NLDS
2002 -- Braves, 56-32 (.636); final: 101-59, lost NLDS
2001 -- Mariners, 63-24 (.724); final: 116-46, lost ALCS
2000 -- White Sox, 55-32 (.632); final: 95-67, lost ALDS
1999 -- Indians, 56-31 (.644); final: 97-65, lost ALDS
1998 -- Yankees, 61-20 (.753); final: 114-48, won World Series
1997 -- Braves, 57-30 (.655); final: 101-61, lost NLCS
1996 -- Braves, 54-33 (.621); final: 96-66, lost World Series
1995 -- Indians, 46-21 (.687): final: 100-44, lost World Series
Not only did the previous 20 teams with the best record at the All-Star break all make the playoffs, they all won at least 95 games. Oakland's current winning percentage is .564, a 91-win pace. They've gone 20-25 in the second half.
The last team to have the best record at the break and not make the postseason? The 1993 Giants. I'd hardly say that team collapsed, however: They won 103 games. But the Braves won 104 to win the NL West.